Japanese big band signs off

After a 30-year run, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra has played its final chorus in New York, bidding Dewa mata (Japanese for “See you later”) at a sold-out Birdland jazz club before an audience that included fans who had come from as far away as Japan and Italy.

Earlier this year, Akiyoshi had announced that this would be the final season for the big band featuring her husband, saxophonist-flautist Lew Tabackin as its principal soloist, which has recorded nearly two dozen albums, 14 of which received Grammy nominations.

The orchestra gave a gala farewell concert celebrating its 30th anniversary at Carnegie Hall in October and toured Japan the following month, but fittingly gave its final performance at Birdland, where it has had a regular Monday night gig for nearly seven years.

The 74-year-old Akiyoshi said she decided to disband the orchestra because she wanted to focus on her piano playing without having to worry about composing, arranging and leading a 16-piece big band.

“I’m probably the slowest writer on earth and because of that as the years have gone by, my time for practising piano was getting less and less,” said Akiyoshi.

“I started as a piano player … and thought it was about time for me to go back to spend more time with the piano because I feel I can improve more,” added Akiyoshi, who will be playing a series of trio and solo concerts in Japan in March and April.

Tabackin reflected on the band’s legacy. He noted that there were innovations such as interweaving traditional Japanese music with jazz and creating a unique woodwind section in place of the usual saxophone section.

At the same time, it was one of the last big bands to remain rooted in bebop and develop that concept.

“It’s just starting to sink in that the band’s going to be a part of our life that won’t exist anymore,” said Tabackin. “It was a long run and it’s kind of a bittersweet feeling because a lot of musicians have paid a lot of dues ... but I think it’s time to move on.”